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Child Support Attorneys in Bergen County, NJ

Experienced Child Support Lawyers Advocating for Children's Rights in New Jersey
child in New Jersey - Bergen County child support

If you are working to obtain a divorce in New Jersey and children are involved, you need to find a solution with your spouse to provide for the basic living expenses of your child. While it can be challenging to ascertain exactly how much child support you will likely be ordered to pay, our child support attorney in Bergen County can help determine your child’s needs and how to handle them.

Our goal at Sherwood, Johnson & Poles is to always seek a favorable resolution designed with the best interests of the child involved, particularly after a difficult divorce. We work hard to reach agreements that focus on the child, as well as the family. Our team-based approach to cases ensures you and your family will be represented by a group of compassionate lawyers. We are dedicated to finding a solution that best fits the needs of you and your family, and we’ll never apply a one-size-fits-all approach to your situation.

Dealing with a child support dispute? Call Sherwood, Johnson & Poles today at (888) 224-1218 or contact us online to schedule a meeting with one of our child support attorneys in Bergen County.

What is Child Support in New Jersey?

In New Jersey, the court follows an Income Shares Model. This model referred to as the Child Support Guidelines, is composed of statistical data approximating the total support amount that most parents would spend on a child in an intact family unit. This number is then split between parents during a divorce, based on their incomes. These guidelines may not necessarily dictate the support in your individual case.

Bergen County child support is meant to cover expenses for the child, including:

  • Food and shelter
  • Clothing
  • Transportation
  • Entertainment
  • Miscellaneous needs

The court can also revise the guidelines to include additional necessities such as work-related child care, the child's health insurance, or other necessary expenses.

New Jersey Child Support Calculator

Bergen County child support is designed to protect them from economic hardship after a divorce. At Sherwood, Johnson & Poles, our child support lawyers in Bergen County can help provide you with an accurate valuation of your financial situation and child support duties.

Guidelines for determining support and creating a support order include:

  • The parents' combined net income.
  • Division of time spent between the custodial parent and the non custodial parent (visitation).
  • The basic needs of the child, such as: food, clothing, housing, transportation and medical expenses.
  • Additional expenses such as: cost of transportation to and from visitation, emergency medical expenses, child-care necessitated by the parents' work schedule.

If you have fallen behind in your payments, our Bergen County child support attorney can address any outstanding child support warrants and find a solution to your current predicament. You need to resolve backed payments quickly as they can result in jail time.

Help With Child Support Modifications in Bergen County

A child support plan can be modified if there has been an ongoing change in circumstances. While guidelines apply to minors under the age of 18, sometimes a court may decide that a parent should continue to contribute if his / her child over 18 is attending college full time.

A court may also deviate from Income Shares Model if they deem them to be inappropriate or believe they need to be adjusted to accommodate the needs of the children and parents. When doing so, however, the reason must be stated in writing.

Examples of reasons that the guidelines might be modified include:

  • High-income situations
  • If the children have special needs
  • If more than six children reside in one household
  • If either parent has medical expenses that are not reimbursed
  • The children have specific educational needs

The court will have the final say whether they believe the parent’s change in circumstances is so significant that changing child support is necessary. Some parents may agree to this on their own, and other times they may disagree. When the parents do not agree to change child support, the requesting parent may file a motion with the court to request a modification.

If the case goes to court, there will need to be explicit proof that the parent and the child truly need to update their child’s support in order to uphold their standard of living.

Enforcement of Spousal Support Orders in NJ

If you are supposed to receive child support in Bergen County and the supporting parent is either not paying or is late, a court action may be necessary. A hearing can be requested in family court and a judge will decide what action should be taken against the parent who owes payment of support.

To learn more, do not hesitate to contact Sherwood, Johnson & Poles . In our 25 years of legal experience in family law, we have handled many such cases which means we understand how child support works in New Jersey and how to ensure you are not taken advantage of during proceedings.

Our Bergen County Child Support Attorneys Can Help

As members of the New Jersey State Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, Bergen County Bar Association, New Jersey Association of Professional Mediators, and International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, you can count on our child support attorneys in Bergen County to provide you with the information for which you are looking.

Contact Sherwood, Johnson & Poles today at (888) 224-1218 or contact us online to schedule a free case evaluation with a Bergen County child support lawyer.

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